Rachel Ashton
Executive Director of Student and Academic Services
University of Greenwich
How does it feel to be a woman in leadership here in Greenwich?
I am very proud to be a female leader at the University of Greenwich. It is a very exciting time for the institution. We have an ambitious strategy which aligns with my personal and professional values. I feel excited to support its successful delivery.
I have worked at the university for 20+ years and have seen much change. A noticeable change is the increase in female leadership across the organisation, led by our inspirational female Vice Chancellor.
There is a marked step-change both in our ambition for our students and staff, and the enablers for us to deliver on those priorities.
One of the most special aspects of the University of Greenwich is the people. It is one of the core reasons I have chosen to progress my career here.
There have been individuals that have been pivotal to my progression, through knowledge sharing, mentoring, championing, and collegiality. I will never forget that and pledge to do the same for others as they progress through their career.
Tell us about your career journey, and how you ended up at Greenwich.
I studied for my first degree at Greenwich 27 years ago! I worked part-time at the university in marketing and events and was part of the Clearing team every summer. I was also the very first University of Greenwich Ambassador!
After graduating I did the classic backpacker trail and worked in Australia for a while. When our visas were about to expire and we had run out of money, I sent an email from the Krabi islands in Thailand to the university asking whether they had any jobs available.
They replied that they did, so I turned up on my first day back expecting to be asked to support events or wade through a pile of filing. I was, however, very surprised to be asked whether I would be up for going to live in China to assist with the recruitment of students. I had only been home for a week but could not turn down the opportunity, so I flew out to Shanghai shortly after and spent several months reviewing applications, running prospect events and facilitating interviews.
The rest really is history, I returned and was offered a role in admissions, then progressed to work for FEHHS to manage their resources, I was offered a secondment to Director of Resources, then Head of Administrative Services, then Faculty Operating Officer. I then had the opportunity to apply for the Faculty Operating Officer role for Greenwich Business School, I just knew it would be a stimulating new challenge and be great for my professional development.
When the Executive Director of Student and Academic Services role became available, it felt like a very natural and exciting opportunity. I care deeply about the student experience, and this was an opportunity to make an impact. I knew I could utilise my deep knowledge of higher education, processes, systems, and strong networks to make positive change.
What tips would you give to the women at Greenwich today? Any top tips to empower women in the University of Greenwich community?
1. Always be open to new opportunities at work, whether it is to take on a secondment or learn a new area of the organisation. They often lead you in an exciting new direction and can be a springboard to a new role. Be brave! ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.’
2. Get yourself a mentor, the university offers a mentor scheme, or ask your line manager to facilitate an introduction or if you know who you would like to be mentored by, ask them! My mentor has been pivotal to my development, she has made suggestions, challenged me, facilitated connections, and championed me. I can not recommend this highly enough!
3. Ensure your line manager knows your aspirations and passions, if they are equipped with this information, they can open doors, put you on projects or suggest development areas. Use your appraisals authentically for this purpose and also keep an ongoing dialogue at your one-to-ones.
4. Voice your ideas and suggestions for improvement. Never assume that people in the room have thought of something already. Do not underestimate your experience. Leaders and managers really value people who bring solutions or suggest improvements.
5. Build your network, both internal and external networks are invaluable for optimum performance of your existing role and progression. Do not underestimate the value of taking time to help someone else or being supportive. The ability to help or support others does not begin when you become a manager, Head or Director, you can already help and support others. Just look around you. Building a collegiate, supportive, information sharing network is a valuable investment of your time plus you never know when you might need their help!
6. Finally, ‘pay it back’. I am a big believer in “Leave the door open and the ladder down”. The absolutely best thing about being a leader is being able to support others to develop, progress and flourish.